הַגִּ֨ידוּ בַגֹּויִ֤ם וְהַשְׁמִ֨יעוּ֙ וּֽשְׂאוּ־נֵ֔ס הַשְׁמִ֖יעוּ אַל־תְּכַחֵ֑דוּ אִמְרוּ֩ נִלְכְּדָ֨ה בָבֶ֜ל הֹבִ֥ישׁ בֵּל֙ חַ֣ת מְרֹדָ֔ךְ הֹבִ֣ישׁוּ עֲצַבֶּ֔יהָ חַ֖תּוּ גִּלּוּלֶֽיהָ׃
“Declare among the nations and make heard, and lift up a banner. Make heard, do not conceal. Say, ‘Bavel is captured, Bel is put to shame, Merodakh is shattered. Her idols are put to shame, her images are shattered.’
Morphology
- הַגִּידוּ (haggidu) – Root: נגד; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Declare!”; Notes: Command directed to proclaimers, emphasizing urgency of proclamation.
- בַגֹּויִם (va-goyim) – Root: גוי; Form: Preposition בְּ + definite plural noun masculine; Translation: “among the nations”; Notes: Audience of the proclamation.
- וְהַשְׁמִיעוּ (ve-hashmiʿu) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person masculine plural with vav; Translation: “and make heard!”; Notes: Intensifies the call to broadcast the message.
- וּשְׂאוּ־נֵס (u-seʾu-nes) – Root: נשא; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural + object noun; Translation: “and lift up a banner!”; Notes: Symbolic of public proclamation, often martial or prophetic.
- הַשְׁמִיעוּ (hashmiʿu) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “make heard!”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
- אַל (ʾal) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Used with jussive/imperative verbs for prohibition.
- תְּכַחֵדוּ (tekhachedū) – Root: כחד; Form: Piel imperfect 2nd person masculine plural (jussive in context); Translation: “conceal”; Notes: Negative command, “do not conceal.”
- אִמְרוּ (ʾimru) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Say!”; Notes: Introduces the content of the proclamation.
- נִלְכְּדָה (nilkedah) – Root: לכד; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “is captured”; Notes: Niphal conveys passive sense, Babylon as the patient.
- בָבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: Subject of the verb “is captured.”
- הֹבִישׁ (hovish) – Root: בושׁ; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is put to shame”; Notes: Used here in prophetic declaration against deities.
- בֵּל (Bel) – Root: בל; Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Bel”; Notes: Chief Babylonian deity.
- חַת (ḥat) – Root: חתת; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is shattered”; Notes: Used metaphorically of downfall or collapse.
- מְרֹדָךְ (Merodakh) – Root: מרדך; Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Merodakh”; Notes: Babylonian deity associated with Marduk.
- הֹבִישׁוּ (hovishu) – Root: בושׁ; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they are put to shame”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s idols collectively.
- עֲצַבֶּיהָ (ʿatsabbeha) – Root: עצב; Form: Noun masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her idols”; Notes: Derogatory term for false gods.
- חַתּוּ (ḥattu) – Root: חתת; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they are shattered”; Notes: Parallel to the shame language, emphasizing destruction.
- גִּלּוּלֶיהָ (gilluleha) – Root: גלל; Form: Noun masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her images”; Notes: Pejorative term for idols, often mocking their worthlessness.